Veteran Tampa Bay blueliner Brian Lee could be taking a few shifts - or more - for the Syracuse Crunch pretty soon.

Lee is recovering from a knee injury he suffered playing for the Crunch in last season's AHL playoffs. Before he got hurt he was pointless in seven postseason games and contributed one assist in 11 regular season contests in Syracuse.

Lightning assistant general manager Julien BriseBois said he spoke with Lee on Wednesday morning. While his return date is still not clear, once he's ready he could stay with Tampa Bay, be assigned here on a rehab basis or put on waivers and then sent to Syracuse for a longer stretch if he clears.

BriseBois did not commit to any of those three options, saying only that right now Lee remains on Tampa Bay's roster.

"He's progressing really well,'' BriseBois said. "He's skating. He's still a few weeks away. We don't have a definite timeline.

"He's been working hard. He looks good. We can tell he's spent a lot of time in the gym.''